Batangas City Tanduay overcame a slow start to defeat South Cotabato, 73-63, on Thursday, securing its spot in the South Division Finals of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Sixth Season.
Batangas will face Quezon Province, who awaits them in the next round, at a packed Batangas City Coliseum.
Batangas held South Cotabato scoreless for over four minutes at the start of the fourth quarter, allowing them to pull away, 61-53, and maintain control until the end, clinching their best-of-three semifinal series, 2-1.
John Ambulodto and Levi Hernandez led the charge for Batangas, igniting the offense in the second half.
Ambulodto scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, earning the Daily Fantasy Best Player honors, while Hernandez contributed 16 points, five rebounds, and two steals.
Cedric Ablaza also stepped up with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, and Jong Baloria added nine points and three assists.
For South Cotabato, Christian Fajarito led with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Val Acuna chipped in with 10 points and nine rebounds, Nico Elorde added nine points, three assists, and two steals, while Kyle Tolentino and Mark Cruz each contributed nine points with additional support in rebounds and assists.
A 10-point closing run, highlighted by back-to-back triples from Marwin Dionisio and Mark Cruz, had previously pushed the Warriors ahead, 23-9, after the first quarter. However, Batangas quickly regrouped, cutting a 15-point deficit to just 10 points, 40-30, by halftime.
Batangas Coach Cholo Villanueva commended his team for their resilience, stating that the win was “a testament to our consistency and winning culture,” marking the Rum Masters’ sixth consecutive MPBL playoff appearance.
MPBL Founder and CEO Manny Pacquiao, along with his wife Jinkee, attended the game.
The South Division Finals between Batangas, the MPBL’s inaugural champion in 2018, and Quezon Province will begin at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City.
South Cotabato had taken Game One, 87-76, while Batangas rebounded in Game Two with an 81-79 victory.
Meanwhile, the North Division Finals kick off on Friday, with defending champion Pampanga facing former titlist San Juan at seven p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
